Living in Germany  /  Study & Education

Kita and school in Berlin: a first guide for parents

A calm first orientation to Berlin childcare and school vocabulary, plus the phrases parents actually need.

For families new to Berlin, words such as Kita, Kita-Gutschein, Einschulung and Hort can appear very quickly. The difficult part is not only the German. It is understanding which word belongs to which stage of a child’s day and which office or school you need to contact.

This guide gives you a first orientation and the German phrases that help when you talk to a Kita, school, Jugendamt or other contact person. Education and childcare procedures can change and individual situations differ, so always check the current Berlin information for your child’s case.

1. Kita: childcare before school

Kita is short for Kindertagesstätte, a day-care centre for children.

In Berlin’s publicly funded childcare system, families normally need a Kita-Gutschein. The official Berlin information says the application is made through the Jugendamt of the district where you live. The voucher records the approved amount of childcare time.

After receiving the voucher, parents look for a place at a Kita or childminder. A voucher does not itself mean that a particular Kita has a free place.

Useful questions:

Haben Sie einen freien Kita-Platz?

Do you have a free daycare place?

Ich habe einen Kita-Gutschein.

I have a Kita voucher.

Welche Unterlagen brauchen Sie von uns?

Which documents do you need from us?

2. Kita-Gutschein: one important Berlin word

The Kita-Gutschein is one of the most useful terms for parents to recognise.

Berlin currently advises parents to apply in good time before the desired start of childcare. Exact deadlines, eligibility and required evidence depend on the situation, so use the current Berlin service information rather than an old checklist from another website.

Useful sentence:

Wo beantrage ich den Kita-Gutschein?

Where do I apply for the Kita voucher?

3. Einschulung: starting school

Einschulung means starting school, especially the transition into the first year of primary school.

For public primary school, Berlin uses local responsibility rules based on where a child lives. You may hear zuständige Grundschule or Einschulungsbereich. The district school authority is involved in school-place allocation, and in some cases a child may ultimately be assigned differently for organisational reasons.

Useful questions:

Welche Grundschule ist für unsere Adresse zuständig?

Which primary school is responsible for our address?

Wann ist die Schulanmeldung?

When is school registration?

Welche Unterlagen sollen wir mitbringen?

Which documents should we bring?

Do not rely on a generic article for the registration date. Berlin publishes the current school-start information for each school year.

4. Hort / eFöB: care around the school day

Many parents still say Hort in everyday German. Berlin’s official term is ergänzende Förderung und Betreuung, often shortened to eFöB.

This is care around the school day, for example before or after lessons and, depending on the arrangement, during school holidays. Berlin advises families to apply for the relevant care through the school/Youth Welfare Office process.

Useful sentence:

Wir brauchen nachmittags Betreuung. Wie beantragen wir den Hort?

We need afternoon care. How do we apply for the Hort/eFöB?

If someone answers with eFöB, do not worry: they are talking about the official name for what many families call Hort.

5. Elternabend: a meeting for parents

An Elternabend is a parents’ evening or parents’ meeting. It is a common word in both school and childcare contexts.

Useful phrases:

Wann ist der nächste Elternabend?

When is the next parents’ evening?

Gibt es Informationen auf Englisch?

Is there information in English?

An wen kann ich mich bei Fragen wenden?

Who can I contact if I have questions?

If your German is still developing, it is reasonable to ask for clarification or written information.

6. Everyday school words: Schulweg, Brotdose and Turnbeutel

Not every useful word is bureaucratic.

Schulweg: the route to school

Brotdose: lunch/snack box

Turnbeutel: sports/gym bag

These are words you may hear in normal conversations with teachers, other parents or children.

Examples:

Wie kommt Ihr Kind zur Schule?

How does your child get to school?

Bitte die Brotdose mitgeben.

Please send the lunch box with your child.

Der Turnbeutel bleibt in der Schule.

The sports bag stays at school.

7. Keep Kita and school processes separate

A common source of confusion is treating all family administration as one process.

Kita, school registration and eFöB/Hort involve different steps and contacts. When you receive a letter or email, first identify what it is about:

• Kita / Kita-Gutschein → childcare before school
• Schulanmeldung / Einschulung → starting school
• Hort / eFöB → additional care around the school day

Once you know the category, the German becomes much easier to manage.

Mini dialogue: asking at a school

Parent: Guten Tag. Wir sind neu in Berlin und haben eine Frage zur Einschulung.

School office: Natürlich. Wohnen Sie in unserem Einschulungsbereich?

Parent: Das weiß ich noch nicht. Welche Grundschule ist für unsere Adresse zuständig?

School office: Das können Sie über den Bezirk prüfen.

Parent: Danke. Wir brauchen außerdem nachmittags Betreuung.

School office: Dann geht es um die ergänzende Förderung und Betreuung, also den Hort.

Parent: Verstanden. Welche Unterlagen brauchen wir dafür?

School office: Ich gebe Ihnen die aktuelle Information mit.

German you actually need

Useful phrases

Practice

Frequently asked questions

What is a Kita in Berlin?

Kita is the common short word for a child day-care centre.

What is a Kita-Gutschein?

It is the Berlin voucher/authorisation used in publicly funded childcare. It states the approved childcare scope and is applied for through the responsible Jugendamt.

Does a Kita-Gutschein guarantee a place at a specific Kita?

No. After receiving the voucher, families still need to find an available place and arrange a childcare contract.

What does Einschulung mean?

It means starting school, especially entering the first year of primary school.

What is Hort?

Hort is the everyday term many families use for care around the school day. Berlin’s official term is ergänzende Förderung und Betreuung (eFöB).

What is an Elternabend?

It is a meeting for parents organised by a Kita or school.

Sources & note